A.E. Smith Shelburne II (c. 1977)

While many tend to credit Bart Reiter with the widespread renewal of interest in Frederick Bacon's designs, Massachussetts' A.E. Smith Banjo Co. were some of the first on the scene, with high-end, hand-built options designed to appeal to discerning players with a serious interest in old time music. This Shelburne II, dating from around 1977 or so, is exemplary of the company's best work, and comes so close to an original Bacon in design and style that it fooled our staff when we first took it out of its case. A.E. Smith's Shelburne models featured all-maple construction with a large, three-piece tone ring and an internal resonator similar to the style commonly found on Bacons up through the 1920s. Appointments on the Shelburne II are a little fancier than on the standard Shelburne, with an extremely ornate vine-style inlay on the headstock and beautiful wood inlays on the pot and the resonator. This instrument was lovingly hand-finished in a nitrocellulose lacquer, and looks and feels every bit the part of the instruments that inspired it decades prior.

This banjo arrived in our store in very good condition relative to its age, with a typical to below-typical amount of playing wear, primarily confined to the pot and internal resonator. Like all lacquer finishes, this one shows advanced and largely uniform finish checking which will only continue to appear over the next 50 years as the finish continues to dry and harden. Playability is excellent, with low action and a very comfortable neck, with ergonomics that err very closely to the original Bacon designs rather than more modern clawhammer banjos. Included in the price is the original hard-shell case.

Specifications

Scale Length: 27"
Nut Width: 1.31"
Neck Wood: Maple
Fretboard Wood: Ebony
Peghead Overlay: Ebony
Peghead Inlay: Vine ornament in mother-of-pearl
Fret Markers: None
Nut Material: Bone
Spikes: 7th, 9th, and 10th frets
Tuners: Planetary with pearloid buttons, plus non-original stainless steel fifth-string tuner
Finish: Natural nitrocellulose lacquer
Rim Size: 11"
Rim Wood: Maple
Tonering: Three-piece with internal resonator
Brackets: 24
Tailpiece: Original nickel-plated Presto
Head: Fiberskin
Armrest: None
Case: Original hard-shell case